Flip over a “compostable” coffee bag or mailer and you’ll likely see one of two logos: a green BPI mark or a leaf-shaped OK Compost seal. They look like they mean the same thing, but they’re issued by different organizations, test to different standards, and — critically — often certify different end-of-life environments. Mixing them up is how well-intentioned packaging ends up contaminating a compost stream or sitting in a backyard bin for years without breaking down.
This guide breaks down what BPI and OK Compost each actually certify, how their sub-labels (like OK Compost HOME vs INDUSTRIAL, and BPI’s newer home-compostable mark) differ, and how to check a package’s claim before you toss it in a bin or promise customers it’s compostable.
Quick Answer
BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute) is a North American certification tested primarily against ASTM D6400 or D6868 for industrial/commercial composting facilities. Since opening applications in December 2025, BPI also runs a separate Home Compostable Certification layered on top of its commercial one, so a BPI-marked product may now be verified for backyard composting too — but only if it carries that specific home certification, not the standard commercial mark alone. OK Compost, run by TÜV Austria, is the European equivalent tested against EN 13432, and has long offered two distinct versions: OK Compost INDUSTRIAL (commercial facilities) and OK Compost HOME (verified for a residential compost pile). Always check which specific label — and which version — is printed on the package.
What BPI Certification Actually Covers
BPI licenses its mark to products that pass testing under ASTM D6400 (for plastic or bioplastic materials) or ASTM D6868 (for fiber/paper items with a compostable coating or lining). Testing evaluates three things: biodegradation within a set timeframe, physical disintegration into non-distinguishable pieces, and eco-toxicity, confirming the resulting compost won’t harm plant growth.
Historically, BPI certification was scoped only to industrial or commercial composting infrastructure — the high-heat, actively managed facilities that many municipalities still don’t operate or accept film/flexible packaging into. That changed in late 2025: BPI announced a Home Compostable Certification Program in September 2025 and began accepting applications on December 1, 2025. It’s based on the French standard NF T 51-800 and requires a product to first hold BPI’s Commercial Compostability Certification before it can qualify for the added home-compostable certification, plus stricter limits on substances like PFAS and heavy metals.
In practice, this means a plain BPI “Certified Compostable” mark still refers to industrial composting only — you should not assume it’s safe for a backyard pile unless the packaging specifically calls out BPI’s home compostable certification. As the program is still rolling out, most existing BPI-marked packaging on shelves predates it and remains industrial-only.
What OK Compost Certification Actually Covers
OK Compost is TÜV Austria’s certification scheme, and it tests against the EN 13432 standard (the same standard behind the separate ‘Seedling’ logo used across Europe). Unlike BPI’s traditional single-tier mark, OK Compost has long issued multiple distinct marks for different environments, so the specific logo variant matters:
OK Compost INDUSTRIAL certifies that a product will biodegrade in a managed industrial composting facility — functionally the rough European counterpart to BPI’s commercial certification. OK Compost HOME is a separate, stricter-in-some-ways certification confirming the item will break down in a home compost bin at lower, ambient temperatures rather than the high heat of an industrial facility — a bar most industrially-certified plastics cannot clear. There’s also OK Biobased, which is a separate claim about renewable content, not compostability, and shouldn’t be confused with either compost mark.
Because OK Compost is a European scheme, seeing it on a package doesn’t guarantee the product will be accepted by composting programs outside Europe — infrastructure and accepted material types vary widely by region and municipality.
Tips / Common Mistakes
Don’t treat ‘biodegradable’ and ‘compostable’ as synonyms: biodegradable is an unregulated, largely meaningless claim on its own, while a certified compostable label means the item was independently tested against a defined standard and timeframe. Only trust the certification logo plus its associated standard, not generic wording like ‘eco-friendly’ or ‘plant-based.’
Check the specific label variant, not just the logo family. ‘OK Compost INDUSTRIAL’ and ‘OK Compost HOME’ are not interchangeable, and a standard BPI mark alone still doesn’t confirm home compostability unless BPI’s newer home certification is explicitly named on the package. If a package doesn’t specify industrial vs home, treat it as industrial-only unless stated otherwise.
Certified compostable does not mean recyclable or landfill-safe — these items typically need to go into a separate organics/compost stream, and putting them in standard recycling can contaminate that stream. Before promising customers a product is ‘compostable,’ confirm your local municipal or commercial composting program actually accepts that material type (many still exclude flexible film pouches even when BPI- or OK Compost-certified).
For packaging decisions, verify current certification status directly on the certifier’s site (BPI’s or TÜV Austria’s certified-product database) rather than relying on the logo alone — certifications can lapse or be revoked, and counterfeit or expired marks do appear on packaging.
Explore more: More sustainability packaging guides.
BPI vs OK Compost certification FAQs
Is BPI certification the same as OK Compost certification?
No. They’re issued by different organizations (BPI in North America, TÜV Austria in Europe) against different standards (ASTM D6400/D6868 vs EN 13432), though both certify compostability in managed facilities, and both now also offer home-compostable options.
Does a BPI label mean a product is home compostable?
Not automatically. BPI’s standard commercial mark still certifies industrial/commercial composting only. Since December 2025, BPI also offers a separate Home Compostable Certification (built on top of its commercial certification), so check the packaging for that specific home-compostable designation rather than assuming the regular BPI logo covers it.
What’s the difference between OK Compost HOME and OK Compost INDUSTRIAL?
OK Compost HOME certifies breakdown in a residential compost bin at lower ambient temperatures; OK Compost INDUSTRIAL certifies breakdown only in a high-heat, actively managed industrial facility. Most industrially compostable plastics will not qualify for the HOME label.
Can I put BPI- or OK Compost-certified packaging in my regular recycling bin?
No. These materials are meant for organics/compost collection, not recycling streams, and mixing them in can contaminate recycling batches.
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Photo by Zehra K. on Pexels.